The present invention generally pertains to the hobby-mechanical industry. More specifically, the present invention pertains to an adapter configured to be coupled to a hobby servo output shaft for driving an auxiliary shaft.
A servo motor (a.k.a. simply a “servo”) is a device having a rotatable output shaft. The output shaft can typically be positioned to specific angular positions in accordance with a coded signal received by the servo. It is common that a particular angular position will be maintained as long as a corresponding coded signal exists on an input line. If the coded signal changes, the angular position of the shaft will change accordingly. Control circuits and a potentiometer are typically included within the servo motor casing and are functionally connected to the output shaft. Through the potentiometer (e.g., a variable resistor), the control circuitry is able to monitor the angle of the output shaft. If the shaft is at the correct angle, the motor actuates no further changes. If the shaft is not at the correct angle, the motor is actuated in an appropriate direction until the angle is correct.
There are different types of servo motors that include output shafts having varying rotational and torque capabilities. For example, the rotational and/or torque capability of an industrial servo is typically less restricted than that of a hobby servo. That being said, hobby servos are generally available commercially at a cost that is much less than that associated with industrial servos.
Because hobby servos are relatively small and inexpensive, they are popular within the hobby-mechanical industry for applications such as, but not limited to, hobby robotic applications and radio-controlled models (cars, planes, boats, etc.). One example of a hobby servo is the Futaba S-148 available from Futaba Corporation of America located in Schaumburg, Ill.
Ridges (or teeth) are typically distributed around the outside surface of the output shaft of a hobby servo. Thus, the hobby servo has a “male” spline configuration. Mechanism to be driven by the output shaft will typically have a corresponding “female” spline receiver adapted to engage the output shaft. For example, a gear having a toothed receiver portion may be engaged to the output shaft of a hobby servo. Currently, it can be difficult to engage a device that does not include a “female” spline configuration to a hobby servo.
Further, some applications require that shafts (i.e., axles, rods, beams, etc.) be driven (e.g., rotated) by a hobby servo. These shafts might be round and/or smooth, but could have a different shape (e.g., polygonal like triangle, square, etc.). Driving any shaft, regardless of shape, with the output shaft of a hobby servo presents challenges at least because the output shaft is typically not very durable. For some applications, there is a need to engage a shaft to the output shaft of a hobby servo such that the shaft can be driven (e.g., rotated) in line with the output shaft.